The Arbiter 8.29.17 Vol 30 Issue 3

AUGUST 29, 2017

VOL. 30 ISSUE 3 I N D E P E N D E N T

Prof. takes on Cancer

Page 4

S T U D E N T

V O I C E

O F

B O I S E

Campus Read changes it up

Page 13

S T A T E

S I N C E

1 9 3 3

Volleyball starts season Page 16

EVENTS

Events this week Politics and Policy Brown Bag Lunch Aug. 29 | Simplot AC | 12 p.m.

Two international scholars are coming to discuss protest, law and politics.

Involvement Fair Aug. 30 | Jordan Ballroom | 2 p.m.

Students can meet with student organizations from all over campus to make connections and discover new interests.

First Student Assembly Meeting Aug. 30 | Student Union | 4:30 p.m.

ASBSU’s student assembly will meet for the first time to discuss subjects important to the student body of Boise State.

Opening Reception for 2017 Biennial Art Dept. Faculty Exhibit Aug. 31 | Visual Arts Center | 5 p.m.

Faculty in the art department will show off their recent work in the Visual Arts Center until Oct. 27.

Bronco Football vs. Troy Sept. 2 | Albertsons Stadium | 1:45 p.m.

Our Boise State Broncos will take on Troy University’s Trojans in our first home game of the season.

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AUGUST 29, 2017

INSIDE

AUGUST 29, 2017

Photo of the week

Editor-In-Chief Brandon Rasmussen editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Online Editor Taylor Munson onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Opinion Editor Jacob Palmer opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Jordan Erb news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Ximena Bustillo news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Savannah Willits culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Editor Daniel Gardner sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Reporter Peter Huguenin sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

A bird stares stoically ahead next to the Cycle Learning Center during the scattered cloudy weather following the recent solar eclipse. Photo by Brandon Rasmussen

Digital Content Manager Axel Quartarone digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editors Evan Fishburn Harbor Neher

Visit us on social media

Design Manager Selina Ceballos

The Arbiter

Arbiter Online

@arbiteronline

www.arbiteronline.com

On the cover: Idaho’s State Capitol Building, where legislation was passed on March 30, 2016, regarding noncompete pacts. Photo by Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby, Cover designed by Nabil Rahman

Graphic Designer Nabil Rahman Contact us The Arbiter is located at 1910 University Dr., Mail Stop 1340 Phone: (208) 426-6300 Website: www.arbiteronline.com Distributed Tuesdays during the academic school year. The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University and a designated public forum, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.

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NEWS

AUGUST 29, 2017

Boise State faculty develop proteins that potentially combat 58 cancer cell types

After years of research, two professors have made headway on cancer research

Jordan Erb | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

“This is early-stage research work. We have to remember that many promising drug candidates fail in animal studies or later in human trials,” Hampikian said.

“The really exciting finding from our work is that these Nullomer peptides lower the energy level in cells, and particularly in some fast growing cancers. The findings may take years to exploit in human trials, but we have new weapons to try in the battle against cancer.”

Regardless of how long it may take, the potential for a new drug is there. According to Alileche’s research article, “The Effect of Nullomer-Derived Peptides 9R, 9S1R and 124R on the NCI-60 Panel and Normal Cell Lines”, current cancer treatments are unable to function in the same way the new peptides do. These proteins differ from traditional cancer treatments in four ways, each relating to how they fight cancerous cells. Here’s how: Greg Hampikian (left) and Abdelkrim Alileche (right), who have discovered peptides with the potential to fight cancer, in their lab. Photo courtesy of Greg Hampikian.

Sitting quietly in the Albertson’s Library, his recently published article resting neatly on the table in front of him, research assistant professor Abdelkrim Alileche spoke about the events that led him to a lifetime of cancer research. He detailed accounts of patient’s stark hopelessness and quiet desperation, and the many lives that have succumbed to the disease.

“As a doctor, I can tell you that there is nothing as bad as looking at a patient and saying, ‘I have nothing for you,’” Alileche said. This despondency is what led the Boise State professor to his career in cancer research, and subsequently, his discovery of potential cancer-combatants.

These combatants are more commonly known as peptides–in this case, peptides 9R and 9S1R–which are small proteins composed of five to 10 amino acids.

After years of research, Alileche and Greg Hampikian, professor of biology and crim-

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inal justice, found the use of 9R and 9S1R has a lethal effect on 58 of the 60 cancer cells outlined by the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-60 panel.

Cancer cells on the NCI-60 panel are derived from nine different organs: kidney, breast, ovary, skin melanoma, lung, brain, colon, prostate and the hematopoietic system. By penetrating cancerous cells and attacking their energy production systems, 9R and 9S1R are able to fight off cancer in each of the nine organs.

Before they can continue down the road to becoming a viable cancer-fighting drug, further research must be done to figure out how, exactly, the peptides will wipe out cell’s energy production. According to Alileche, barriers to this process include insufficient funding and a lack of manpower.

As funding and availability of researchers are scarce, the implementation of 9R and 9S1R may be years down the road.

They work against drug-resistant cancers and drug-sensitive cancers “In the evolution of cancer and the treatment of patients, patients respond to the drugs. Then, after they have a relapse, they respond less,” Alileche said. “Why? Because even if you kill 90% of the cells– or even more–there are cells that remain that say, ‘Okay, we can deal with this drug.’”

9R and 9S1R fight off those remaining cells. They work differently in that they actively attack cancers that have already built up some resistance to treatment. In normal treatments, this resistance to drugs can result in death, but Alileche hopes the peptides are advanced enough to prevent that outcome.

They are active against hormone and cytokine sensitive or resistant cancers In their earliest stages, breast and prostate cancers are susceptible to hormones and cytokines, and as such, it is common to use those as treatments. But as the evolution of cancer cells continues, they

develop a tolerance to these treatments.

Furthermore, some cancers are completely unresponsive to hormones and cytokine.

Alileche and Hampikian’s proteins have the potential to combat that.

They fight cancer stem cells “Cancer stem cells are a big headache for oncologists, because when you treat the tumor, it may regress, but cancer stem cells don’t respond. They take over. And when they take over, these cells are resistant to drugs and radiation–sometimes it’s a fatal situation,” Alileche said.

As with the peptides’ other qualities, 9R and 9S1R fight stem cells in a way that other cancer treatments don’t.

They kill both slow and fast growing cells By acting against two different types of cancerous cells, the proteins have an advantage over traditional cancer treatments.

They employ a comprehensive attack on heterogeneous cells, which many drugs do not currently do.

Between all of these cancer cells is one common denominator: their energy production system. Each cancerous cell is fueled by two different powerhouses, the cytoplasm and the mitochondria. In order for 9R and 9S1R to be successful, they must effectively shut down both the cytoplasm and mitochondria–and the processes occurring within them. Figuring out how to shut down the cell’s energy will be part of future research, once funding and manpower is available.

When the time comes for the proteins to be introduced to the cancer-treatment sphere, Alileche hopes they will aid in the early detection of cancer while helping lessen the disease’s damage–physical and otherwise.

“Cancer has been my whole life,” Alileche said. “To find something to kill cancer is always an excitement, because I have seen a lot of people die of cancer–a lot of good people.”

NEWS

AUGUST 29, 2017

New building in the works for School of Public Service

The School of Public Service looks to construct a complex for its staff and students Ximena Bustillo | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Public Policy and Administration

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Accounting Anthropology Art Business

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Computer Science English Environmental Science

Music History

Health Care Administration

Physics

History

Business Law Economics

Family and Consumer Sciences

Kinesiology Library Science Mathematics Modern Languages & Culture

Philosophy Political Science Psychology Social Science Sociology Statistics Theatre

The School of Public Service looks to create a stronger connection between disciplines.

Graphic courtesy of Boise State’s School of Public Service.

Along with the Micron Business and Economics Building (MBEB) and the new Fine Arts building currently being constructed, the School of Public Service (SPS) is now in the early stages of constructing its own central space. Currently, there is not a single building dedicated to the School of Public Service. Instead, disciplines and programs are spread throughout campus and even downtown Boise, according to Dean of the School of Public Service, Corey Cook. The proposal for a building would allow for further departemental development.

“It is a problem to be as spread out as we are,” Cook said. “How can you have collaborating faculties and connecting students if there is not one core place? This allows for better collaboration on research and teaching which elevates the community and the aspect of public service.”

The process is beginning as the SPS is already looking into potential donors.

Cook explained the current proposal is to put the 50,000-70,000 square foot building right across from the MBEB. This would move Boise Avenue and change the

intersection of Capitol and University.

“The idea of having the Fine Arts, Business, and Public Service buildings all aligned has powerful implications for the University in terms of a physical display of our programs,” Cook said.

The goal is to also create an environment similar to that of the College of Business and Economics, according to Cook.

“A central place allows students who are within Public Service to create a community, network, create a student culture the looks at career planning, academics and brings together the student life,” Cook said. “We need student areas and study areas. This is a place where students of different disciplines can come and debate ideas which is what we value as a college and there needs to be a physical representation.”

Member institutions include: University of Idaho Lewis-Clark State College

Idaho State University Boise State University

Participating schools accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Register Online: www.uidaho.edu/isi Toll-free: (877) 464-3246

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NEWS

AUGUST 29, 2017

Get involved: Greek life

Boise State fraternity and sorority organizations soon accepting new members Ximena Bustillo | News Reporter | news@boisestate.edu

Boise State is home to 10 sororities and 11 fraternities that make up Greek life on campus. At the start of the academic year, the organizations open their doors to potential new members. This year, sorority recruitment is Friday, Sept. 1 to Sunday, Sept. 3 and fraternities begin hosting recruitment events on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Fraternities: According to senior political science major Justin Doi, fraternities have two main recruitment events.

“Tuesday, Aug. 29 is our ‘Meet the Chapters’ event in the Hatch Ballroom at 5:30pm,” Doi said. “This is open to all students and is an opportunity to hear about different fraternity chapters.”

The second event is the Inter Fraternity Council barbeque on Friday, Sept. 1 at 5pm on the SUB patio.

“Those events are what allow students to go and meet the individual organizations before rush events and bids begin,” said Inter Fraternity Council Vice President Randal Sanchez.

As far as fraternities go, Sanchez continued to say, the main requirements are to be a Boise State student and each organization has its own GPA stipulations.

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There are many reasons to join. I joined because I wanted to meet new people, but there are other aspects, such as the philanthropy work.

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- Justin Doi, senior political science major Sororities: The recruitment process for sororities is a multi-day event during which new students can ask questions, visit with individual organizations and specifically visit

with each, according to Panhellenic Vice President of Internal recruitment Olivia Holt.

“There are many reasons to join. I joined because I wanted to meet new people, but there are other aspects, such as the philanthropy work,” said sophomore general business major Katelyn Murphy. Her sorority has volunteered time to the Idaho Youth Ranch and Girls on the Run–both nonprofit organizations.

Each sorority has different philanthropy projects, but have similar core values, according to Murphy.

Murphy also suggested that if you are solely interested in the parties, or for a side hobby, it might not be for you because it does have a time commitment.

Greek life: “A rule of thumb is that the time commitment is what you want it to be. But you have some liberty to decide to mainly attend socials and/or leadership development conferences,” Doi said.

Both Doi and Murphy agree Greek life

Fraternities and sororities form a community on campus. Photo courtesy of Boise State’s fraternity and sorority Facebook page.

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at Boise State creates a sense of community while allowing you to connect with others you normally might not in clubs or classes.

Furthermore, getting involved this semester is not the be-all and end-all, according to Doi. “If you decide you don’t want to do it starting in the fall, it doesn’t make you ineligible to go for it again the next fall or through some chapter’s spring recruitment,” Doi said. “The only limitation is once you’ve been initiated into a chapter.”

Murphy encouraged girls to at least look into the option, regardless of their grade level or interests.

“If you are even remotely interested, then definitely do it and see what it is like– every sorority has incredible girls,” Murphy said.

NEWS

AUGUST 29, 2017

Digital ethnography certificate now available

Anthropology department and the College of Innovation and Design offer a new certificate Ximena Bustillo | News Reporter | news@boisestate.edu

Starting Fall of 2017, Boise State’s Anthropology department will begin offering a new degree certificate titled “Design Ethnography.” The certificate, which is completed through online courses, includes 12 credits that are comprised of seven-week courses–nine one-credit courses and a capstone three-credit course, according to the Anthropology department. This program is a brand new opportunity for the Anthropology department, College of Innovation and Design and a wide range of students.

“Design ethnography is a research tool kit for understanding users, clients and customers,” said John Ziker, chair of the Anthropology department. “If you want to develop a new program or service then it’s good to work with the population your product is for, in order to tailor the program to the needs of the population.”

He explained there are different methodologies in “design thinking.” The first is the focus on empathy with customers.

“The goal is to make products and services user friendly–the design ethnography program leans towards that empathy

and relations to best build services and products,” Ziker said. “We wanted to develop a cutting edge applied version of Anthropology.”

The entire program is online, requires only two textbooks and allows students to connect with experts around the country to develop their projects and final capstones.

“The final capstone is also reviewed by experienced practitioners and professional advisors. Despite it being online, there is still plenty of interactions between peers and out in the fields,” Ziker said.

There are currently 35 students enrolled in this program at Boise State.

“Most of the people in the program are not anthropology majors. We have communication majors, marketing, phi-

losophy, engineering students; any social science student will greatly benefit,” Ziker said. “This program provides tools that are useful to various industries aside from your major.”

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We wanted to develop a cutting edge applied version of Anthropology.

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- John Ziker, chair of the Anthropology department

Anthropology and College of Innovation and Design collaborate on a new certificate. Photo courtesy of Certificate of Ethnography’s Facebook page.

Faculty hope this certificate will be a versitile tool for students. Photo courtesy of Certificate of Ethnography’s Facebook page.

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OPINION

AUGUST 29, 2017

The nation can do a lot better than Trump

Trump isn’t helping is constituents if he makes no effort to actually do his job Jacob Palmer | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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For those who oppose him, he’s an embarrasment for the office. For his base who supports him, there are many politicians in Washington who could push through a right-leaning agenda more effectively.

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Trump’s administration has been mired by unessary controversies and infighting. Photo by: Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby

The 2016 election was an event that defied all political knowledge. Both political parties got the bright idea to nominate two candidates who had the highest personal unfavorability ratings in history and said to the electorate, “Well at least we’re not as bad as the other one.” Many Americans collectively held their noses and found themselves voting against the opposing candidate, rather than for one. In a final bizarre twist, the candidate that was once a favorite to win by 93 percent odds was beaten by a loudmouthed reality television star.

Trump’s approval rating started out roughly tied with his disapproval at the beginning of his administration, showing many Americans were willing to give him a chance. Yet, despite a few accomplishments early in his administration such as

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the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the supreme court, Trump has largely not delivered on his campaign promises. Even disregarding the possible Russian collusion narrative, president Trump’s short tenure in office has revealed serious character flaws that have shown he is unfit for office.

Trump has long said that the media is biased and hostile towards him, and a Harvard Study did indeed find media coverage of the president has been overwhelmingly negative. But if Trump believes the media is out to get him, he should at least run the White House in an orderly fashion to get his message out.

Any sort of positive message or narrative Trump’s staff has tried to push out has been undermined by Trump himself.

Trump has contradicted his staff and aides with his Twitter account on issues such as his travel ban. It’s also hard for his staff to

put together a coherent message because they get fired so often. Trump’s staff has had a surprising amount of turnover, with many high profile individuals such as Michael Flynn, Reince Priebus and Anthony Scaramucci leaving as a result of personal scandals or infighting.

The main message the White House puts out in the midst of all this is one of disorganization, which is only bolstered by his lackluster legislative accomplishments.

While presidents don’t write legislative laws directly, they can use a large amount of pressure to get Congress to pass their agendas. This means routinely putting pressure on individual members of Congress to get the necessary votes.

The failure of Republicans to pass any sort of meaningful healthcare reform is the most embarrassing blunder for Trump.

Senate Republicans fumbled around with a largely unpopular bill until abandoning it mid-July. One day before the Republicans admitted defeat, Trump was nowhere to be found in negotiating rooms with members of the Senate. Instead, he was posing with a fire truck, baseball bat and cowboy hat for a “Made In America” press event, all while one of his biggest promises was collapsing just a short distance away from him on Capitol Hill.

Couple this with the fact that Trump’s proposed border wall has yet to be funded, the recent dissolution of Trump’s business advisory panel and a recent resignation

of one of Trump’s most ardent supporters—former deputy assistant Sebastian Gorka—and it becomes clear that Trump is increasingly unable to get any sort of constructive work done in Washington due to personal scandals.

Trump has also had the problem of being too cozy with the alt-right, a hateful and violent political movement with roots in destructive white supremacy policy.

While Trump himself hasn’t shown he supports any specific form of supremacy, he has shown to be more than willing to partner with the alt-right if he thinks they can help him “win.”

Many people, including those on the Right, were critical of Trump’s decision to name Steve Bannon, a man who bragged about how he turned Brietbart News into a “platform for the alt-right,” as his chief strategist. And while Trump has recently fired Bannon, he still hasn’t quelled all fears with his muddled and confusing response to the Charlottesville terrorist attack. Trump needs to fully distance himself from the cancer that is the alt-right. His presidency will be undermined as long as he continues to play softball with them.

Trump could still turn his presidency around, but much of what has happened over the summer has shown that Trump is more of a distraction than a leader. For those who oppose him, he’s an embarrasment for the office. For his base who supports him, there are many politicians in Washington who could push through a right-leaning agenda more effectively.

His short yet wild stay in the White House has not done much to push through any sort of meaningful policy that could improve citizens’ lives.

OPINION

AUGUST 29, 2017

Shutdown would feed Trump’s ego

Johnathan Allen | Piece courtesy of CQ-Roll Call

official to conclude that taking responsibility for a government shutdown is more a matter of getting credit than shouldering blame. Ask Sen. Ted Cruz. The Texas Republican forced a shutdown in late 2013 despite the plaintive cries of fellow Republicans who were (mistakenly) certain the debacle would doom them to defeat in 2014 and possibly 2016.

Rather than becoming the goat who ate the Republican Party, Cruz solidified his position as a hero to many grassroots GOP voters. Though he didn’t win the Repub-

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Trump’s tactics don’t line up with the with the conventional presidential strategy of avoiding government shutdowns—or at least sidestepping blame.

Anti-Trump protesters take to the streets near Trump Tower. Photo courtesy of the Tribune News Service

President Donald Trump is taking an unusual risk for a president: He’s setting himself up as the central player in a possible government shutdown.

“If we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall,” he said Tuesday in Arizona, referring to the barrier he promised to construct between the U.S. and Mexico.

Trump’s tactics don’t line up with the conventional presidential strategy of avoiding government shutdowns—or at least sidestepping blame.

It should be hard for him to point a finger at Republicans in Congress when he is openly threatening to cause a shutdown. It will be even harder for him or his increasingly gun-shy allies on Capitol Hill to blame Democrats, because Republicans control both chambers of Congress and

the White House. And it will be much easier for Congress to pass a spending bill without the money than with it.

He’s setting himself up to take it on the chin, both legislatively and in terms of becoming a lightning rod for voters who suddenly can’t get the services that their tax dollars pay for.

So, what is Trump up to?

I think he wants to take credit for the wall and a shutdown—at least he’s positioning himself that way.

It’s hard to think of convictions more core to the rise of the Tea Party than opposition to illegal immigration and a reinterpretation of small-government conservatism into no-government conservatism. By courting a shutdown, Trump can be a champion of both principles.

He wouldn’t be the first Republican

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lican nomination in 2016, he proved the most resilient of Trump’s competitors.

If Trump were unwilling to shut down the government to get the wall, he’d be demonstrating to his voters that he doesn’t have the grit or determination to go all the way for their shared top legislative priority.

He would be showing weakness; and that is neither Trump’s strength nor a way to please his base.

His premise, for now, seems to be that a government shutdown would cause so much political pain for lawmakers that they would ultimately choose to pass a spending bill with money for the wall rather than continue to suffer the wrath of constituents bereft of government services.

But one essential truth remains: most Americans don’t want the wall. It’s hard to see how halting government operations will force Congress to fund it.

Rather than Congress acceding to Trump’s wall dream, maybe he needs to

cause his own voters enough pain through a shutdown that they ultimately decide it’s OK for him to give in.

That would hold everyone else in the country hostage for a while—maybe a long while—but it would prevent Trump from disappointing his base by funding every government function other than the very symbol of their anti-illegal-immigrant fervor.

So, Trump has backed himself into a political corner, but it’s the one that is familiar and comfortable to him. He is standing with his base. Maybe he will back down in the end, but it seems that is his option of last resort.

The most consistent element of Trump’s political profile is his allegiance to his base—often at the expense, many fellow Republicans believe, of the rest of the party. And if there’s one thing that base loves more than the wall, it’s the prospect of disrupting the government.

A shutdown may not serve the best interests of Republicans in swing districts and states in the mid-term election or of the party’s hopes of keeping the White House in 2020, but it would feed the id of his movement. Don’t expect him to back down in the face of a shutdown. It seems pretty clear that he’s setting himself up to take credit for one.

Republican leaders who think that will hurt the party should be figuring out how to line up veto-proof two-thirds majorities to keep the government running. If they don’t, it could be a very long autumn in Washington _ and a very long fall for the GOP—before Trump feels like he’s losing.

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FEATURE

AUGUST 29, 2017

Idaho workers on lockdown

With the passing of a bill regarding noncompete pacts, Idaho tightens its grip on employee mobility Jordan Erb | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

On March 30, 2016, the Idaho legislature passed a bill that changed how noncompete pacts function in the state. Photo by: Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby

Since the summer of 2016, college students entering the Idaho job market may be met by a changing economic playing field–one in which their ability to move from job to job is greatly minimized.

Backed by Micron and the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, the Idaho legislature passed a bill that broadened the power of noncompete agreements–contracts used by employers to keep new hires from transferring to competing companies.

Noncompete pacts in Idaho, should the employer choose to enact them, have the ability to keep new hires at the company for up to 18 months, with no option of leaving for better-paying or more desirable work for a competitor.

When contacted, proponents of the bill gave no response; however, in a New York Times article titled “Noncompete Pacts, Under Siege, Find Haven in Idaho”, Alex LaBeau, president of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, shared motives

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behind the legislation.

“This is about companies protecting their assets in a competitive marketplace,” La Beau said, defending the aspect of the bill that fortifies the interests of big business.

According to critics, this statute, on a greater economic scale, is powerful enough to keep a cap on both wages and the expansion of newer, smaller businesses.

The wage problem: According to Ilana Rubel, assistant minority leader in the Idaho House of Representatives, the signing of noncompete agreements allows existing companies to keep industry wages low. If employees are unable to seek new work, businesses have more leverage on what they pay their staff.

“At base, I think these agreements can be a way of keeping wages low, because you can get away with paying your employees under-market wages–paying them less than

they’re worth–if they are prevented from being able to seek a higher paying job,” Rubel said.

Employee mobility and the freedom to bounce from business to business are what keep wages at a competitive rate, and leads to vying between corporations. The implementation of noncompete agreements, then, may damage the growth of wages around Idaho.

“Most employees increase their wages by changing their jobs, so (noncompete laws) could have an impact on the wage growth,” said Zeynep Hansen, economics professor and associate dean for Academic Programs and Scholarship at Boise State.

“That also could have an impact on the new tech industry, where they may not be able to attract some of the most promising people, either from existing businesses or from outside of Idaho.”

With the possibility of wages remaining stagnant, new talent may not be cycling

through Idaho as much as it could be, according to Hansen. This, in turn, may also lead to staticity in Idaho’s economy–particularly within the tech industry.

The economic expansion problem: Noncompete agreements can be multifaceted in their potential impact of economic growth and development.

“You not only have the wage suppression problem, but you have the overall economic suppression problem of fewer people being able to go start companies. You also have another layer of problems, which is that the companies that have started need to expand. If they start to get successful, they need to start hiring quickly,” Rubel said.

On one hand, many new startups are created by employees who leave their former organization to act upon budding ideas and business plans. Alternatively, small local businesses expand based on their acquisition of new employees–neither

FEATURE

AUGUST 29, 2017

Employee freedoms affected by noncompetes. Photo by: Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby

of which are possible without the free-flow of laborers.

“If you want to see growth in a region, you want companies to compete for and bring in the best employees, and of course, have higher production and higher wages,” Hansen said. Innovative small businesses may have a hard time attracting qualified workers because of their attachment to former employers.

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It would be a human tragedy for all of those folks who were just getting a job to pay off their loans to suddenly find themselves locked into a low-paying, unsatisfying job.”

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- Ilana Rubel, assistant minority leader If workers are locked into positions at established companies and are unable to chase new opportunities, these startups and smaller businesses may not be able to find enough talent to get themselves off the ground or support themselves once they are up and running. According to

Rubel, one of the biggest barriers to a new business’s success is having no access to new hires.

“It’s kind of a silent killer, in that there are so many companies that are never formed and that are never expanded and people that are never going to get that higher paying job, because of the fear factor created by this legislation,” Rubel said.

The existence of noncompete agreements in Idaho is nothing new, but the recent legislation has changed the scope of their impact. Before the law was passed, noncompete contracts functioned as any other legal agreement, in the sense that in order for an employer to sue a worker, they would have to prove that there was such extensive damage done to their business that the employee owed them something in return. According to Rubel, this is no longer the case.

“You have to show you were harmed in a normal contract breach case. What the legislature did in 2016 was basically remove that whole element from contract law for noncompetes,” Rubel said. “A court is now required to presume that you were irreparably harmed any time an employee leaves you for another employer, if it was in breach of a noncompete.”

The bill now upholds that a court must automatically assume the employee has greatly damaged the company they left, even if the damages suffered are not as

Noncompete pacts may have significant implications. Photo by: Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby

prodigious as they are made out to be.

“If an employee leaves their former employer and they had a noncompete agreement, even if their departure caused no harm to their employer–they didn’t take a single customer with them, they didn’t take another employee, all they did was go work for another employer–a court is now required to presume there was irreparable harm to that first employer, regardless of any actual harm,” Rubel said.

The implications of this bill are something for new graduates to take into consideration when beginning their job hunt. Though many jobs immediately after college may not be a graduate’s dream

position, by signing one of these contracts, they would be locked in for up to 18 months, with no opportunity for mobility.

“It would be a human tragedy for all of those folks who were just getting a job to pay off their loans to suddenly find themselves locked into a low-paying, unsatisfying job because of some piece of paper that was slipped under their nose on their first day,” Rubel said.

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BUCKING AROUND

AUGUST 29, 2017

Puzzle 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.78)

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Mon Aug 28 19:17:16 2017 GMT. Enjoy!

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CULTURE

AUGUST 29, 2017

Campus Read Review

Boise State’s new Campus Read experiments with essay-style, digital approach

Taylor Munson | Online Editor | onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Since its inception in 2003, Boise State’s Campus Read program consisted of a single book chosen by the President’s office, students, faculty and staff. The book is intended to connect new students, encourage problem solving and spark conversations across campus.

This year, a new and experimental method was pursued in selecting the campus read. Instead of one book, this year’s Campus Read is comprised of 15 different essays. All of the essays are available to be read digitally on Boise State’s website.

Benefits and challenges The Dean of Boise State’s Honors College, Andrew Finstuen played a significant role in embracing this new approach to the Campus Read program.

“It’s really an adaptive delivery method and adaptive in terms of the range of courses you could plug it into,” Finstuen said. “Somewhere in those essays students are going to find something they’re interested in, but they also have more options of things they might not have been exposed to.”

The timing of this change also coincides with serious discussions around restructuring Boise State’s University Foundations courses. With this restructuring, the hope is to begin incorporating these essays more into the foundations courses’ curricula.

While this new digital essay approach has its benefits, Finstuen found it came with its own difficulties as well.

“You can’t be exhaustive. You can’t represent everybody. We tried to get as many different voices and topics in a manageable collection, while not making them too long,” Finstuen said.

One benefit of these essays being digital, according to Finstuen, is that it also saves the University money. In past years, thousands of copies of the campus read were purchased and then given to students for free. The digital version allows the university to use the library’s resources to compile

Author Malala Yousafzai. Photo by: Russell Watkins courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Author Azar Nafisi at the 2015 Texas Book Festival. Photo by: Larry D. Moore courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Carl Sagan, author of “Does Truth Matter – Science, Pseudoscience, and Civilization.”

Photo by: Michael Okoniewski 1994.

Peter Sing, author of “The Singer Solution to World Poverty.” Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.

these essays for students.

Azar Nafisi titled “Liberal Education & the Republic of the Imagination.” This essay delves into the role of imagination, tolerance and cultural relativism in a liberal education.

Azar Nafisi will visit campus on Sept. 25 to speak to students, staff and the community as a part of the Distinguished Lecture Series.

According to Finstuen, this year is being treated as a sort of experiment for this new approach. Finstuen—along with Boise State President Bob Kustra and the rest of the Campus Read committee—are currently unsure if this will be the norm for campus reads in years to come. They are hoping for feedback from students and faculty before determining the approach for next year.

The essays The topics of these essays range across many different issues our country and world are facing today. Some essays discuss subjects such as diversity and technology, while others talk about poverty and socioeconomic issues. An essay by Kai Cheng Thom sheds light on the difficulties found in pursuing happiness as a transgender woman of color.

“We tried to think of conversations about race and ethnicity, which are critical. We tried to look at issues of gender, especially the transgender concerns that are very much a part of our campus and other campuses,” Finstuen said.

Some essays also discuss the topic of education, including an essay by author

“

Somewhere in those essays students are going to find something they’re interested in, but they also have more options of things they might not have been exposed to.

”

- Honors College Dean Andrew Finstuen

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CULTURE

AUGUST 29, 2017

New SUB exhibit rolls onto campus

Michelle Estrada curating debut highlights machine of change: the bicycle Savannah Willits | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

‘Trophy’ courtesy of Boise Bicycle Project (BBP). Photo by: Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby

‘Treefort Music Festival Mural’, Photo by: Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby

From a bike handle turned antler decor mantle piece to eighteenth 18th bloomers, the new student union gallery tells the story of freedom and human rights through a conglomeration of quirky bicycle artifacts.

Titled “Cycling Through A Story of Community & Change”, the exhibit was commissioned by the Boise State Bicycle Advisory Committee to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the bicycle. The gallery exhibit was curated by Boise State’s own senior illustration and philosophy major, Michelle Estrada. In her first curating debut she illustrates the symbolic and functional machine of change: the bicycle.

“You really cannot separate the invention of the bicycle from social change. It is used so often as the symbol of progress, transportation, health, community and environmental sustainability,” Estrada said.

The gallery is furnished with a diverse range of paintings by local artists and Estrada, historical photographs of bicycles in Idaho and Boise State courtesy of the Idaho Historical Society, sculptures courtesy of the Boise Bicycle Project, traditional women’s bicycle clothing sewn by Estrada

transportation.”

University Art Curator Fonda Portales cited this passion and vision to why Estrada was chosen to weave together the story of emancipation.

“My favorite aspect from the show is how a seemingly simple machine could be so influential in changing the working class, the lives of people of color and the lives of women. We couldn’t be the women we are today without the bicycle-who knew?!” Fonda Portales said.

Given only a couple months, Estrada researched, designed and curated the entire gallery with little to no funding. The project heavily relied upon local partners, such as local artists and the Boise Bicycle Project, and only received a single anonymous donation used to buy the rights of historical prints from the Idaho Historical Society.

Self described as a “trial by fire” project, Estrada learned the art of curating despite having no experience prior to designing the gallery.

“Curating is a lot more work than people think. They don’t tell you how

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herself, cigarette cycling cards and actual models of bicycles.

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You really cannot separate the invention of the bicycle from social change. It is used so often as the symbol of progress, transportation, health, community and environmental sustainability,

”

- Michelle Estrada “I want the audience to see how the bicycle is so important and innovative.

I want them the see where many social changes started and how. I also wanted them to see how the bicycle influences their own community and art,” Estrada said. “If they feel anything, I hope it’s wonder and gratitude. We often take for granted the freedoms we’ve acquired from

much math is involved in curating or how much time goes into emailing, organizing, collecting and documenting each piece that will be presented in the gallery. They also don’t tell you how to map out and design the gallery layout in relation to its contents. It was surprising how much measuring, counting and leveling I had to do in the gallery,” Estrada said. “It is not just hanging pictures up.”

Estrada not only had to design the physical layout of the gallery, but also coordinate with the local artist network to present a well rounded narrative of social change in Idaho.

“It was a challenge to deal with multiple artists, keep track of all communications and meet deadlines for each and every task outside of the gallery. It definitely gave me a better understanding and deeper appreciation of curatorial work,” said Estrada.

The exhibit will be open in the Student Union Fine Arts Gallery, located on the second floor of the SUB, from Aug. 20 to Sept. 24.

CULTURE

AUGUST 29, 2017

Boise State gives Hogwarts a go

Honors College adopts Harry Potter-esque housing system

Ashley Slater | Guest Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu The school year has changed, and the Boise State Honors College has changed with it. As well as erecting a new building, the Honors College has implemented a student sorting system to handle its recent boom in popularity. This year, according to Chris Hyer, assistant director of the Honors College, the applications to join the Honors College doubled and the incoming class has that of over 300 students—the biggest incoming honors class in Boise State’s history. Due to the size of this group, Hyer had to come up with creative ways to keep the small-school atmosphere in a big-school environment, which is one of the promises that the Honors College makes on their website when a student applies.

A solution to this problem was thought up by Chris Hyer, Annal Frenz and Emily Jones, all of whom are prominent faculty in the Honors College. This change was inspired by record number of honors students, as the Honors College now contains 940 students. The solution they articulated was one that satisfied minds all over honors: a house sorting system akin to that of J.K. Rowling.

“It started out as a joke. We had to create a smaller society among honors students, and the more we talked about it, the better of an idea it sounded,” Hyer said. “We kept thinking, ‘we have 940 students—how do we provide a personalized experience?’”

Hyer went on to explain after doing some research, they found that the housing system in Harry Potter is modeled after the way some colleges in England house their students. They also found that there are two other honors colleges that sort their students into Hogwarts type housing.

“Now, each house is a smaller community of around 200 that makes honors more personalized,” Hyer said. Each house also offers student leadership opportunities, mentor opportunities and multiple points of contact so students never feel lost.

Rather than having only four houses to split the students into, Boise State Honors College offers up five houses for students to be apart of. The houses are as follows: Gyrfalcon, Harrier, Kestrel, Osprey and Peregrine. Each house is color-coded, and has certain defining traits set by the house heads. However, according to Hyer, these traits are subject to change as the house

“

It started out as a joke.

We had to create a smaller society among honors students, and the more we talked about it, the better of an idea it sounded.

“

- Chris Hyer, Assistant Director of the Honors College heads shift and students define and redefine their houses.

Sorting is completely random according to Hyer. First-year English major Susannah Oxley, an honors college student who was sorted into Osprey, said she liked the random system.

“Because the houses aren’t defined by traits, it’s not exactly like Harry Potter, which is cool because it means the house heads had to be creative with the system,” Oxley said. “Because there is diversity in each house, they won’t be too similar or different from each other.”

Rather than feeling as though she would be limited in the amount of people she will meet, Oxley explained that it will push her out of her comfort zone and make her go more out of her way to meet people she might not otherwise come in contact with.

She added, “It’s awesome. It’s like Greek life with the volunteering and leadership, but for nerdy people.”

Students were lead into this room to be sorted into houses. Photo courtesy of the Boise State Honors College

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SPORTS & REC

AUGUST 29, 2017

Boise State volleyball starts season

Boise State volleyball has tournaments in back-to-back weekends to open season.

Peter Huguenin | Sports and Rec Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Boise State volleyball returned to action last weekend in the Sun Devil Classic in Tempe, Arizona. This is the Broncos’ first competition since competing in the NCAA tournament last year. Boise State hopes to build on success from last season and do even better than last year. Not staying content after a record-setting year can be hard sometimes but the volleyball team seems to be just as excited as ever for the upcoming year, and after only losing three seniors they look to have a strong team again. “(We’re) Taking it day by day. Especially this weekend, we get to play another jersey,” said senior setter Jaymee-Lee Bulda.

“We scrimmaged ourselves a ton. Just be-

ing able to play soon, we’re really excited.”

Boise State did well in the Sun Devil Classic going 2-1 with wins against North Dakota State and Weber State, with their sole loss to Arizona State. Boise State will be in action starting Thursday in the first game of the Boise State Invitational. The game will be against BYU, and then they play Sacramento State on Friday, and Missouri on Saturday.

Boise State also has done well with individual honors with senior outside hitter Sierra Nobley and senior libero Maddi Osburn both making the preseason All-Mountain West team. Nobley was chosen for the second year in a row as the Mountain West preseason player of the

Boise State Broncos play hard during one of last year’s games. Photo by: Student Media Digital Content

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year.

“It’s a really cool honor just to know that around the conference there is a level of respect of Boise State for what we do,” Nobley said. “Just motivation to keep pushing myself and different aspects of my game. It motivates me to become a more well-rounded player and work on other stats.”

Head coach Shawn Garus is hoping for a big turnout from fans.

“There definitely is home-court advantage in college volleyball,” he said. “We play in a very small collegiate setting.

There’s only 1,500 people max in Bronco Gym, so if we get a good crowd it’s really loud. The crowd is right on top of the ac-

“

There definitely is homecourt advantage in college volleyball ... If we get a good crowd it’s really loud, The crowd is right on top of the action, and I definitley think it can stress the other team if we get the place rocking.

”

- Head Coach Shawn Garus tion, and I definitely think it can stress the other team if we get this place rocking.”

The Broncos hope to continue their success this upcoming year. Photo by: Student Media Digital Content

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SPORTS & REC

AUGUST 29, 2017

Club sports enrollment sees increase

Last year’s enrollment numbers showed an increased intrest in joining club sports on campus Daniel Gardner | Sports and Rec Editor | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The 2016-2017 school year saw an increase in club sports enrollment by 10 percent. Photo by: Student Media Digital Content

As the school year starts so do many of the activities that students can join to engulf themselves farther into the college experience. Club sports and intramurals are a great option for students who want to continue playing the sport they love—or try a new sport—after high school. Students’ desire to continue playing the sports they love is why Assistant Director of Recreational Sports Jared Cox believes incoming freshman last year made club sports the largest it has ever been last year with 485 students participating in various sports.

“The 2016-2017 school year had 5,000 participants, which continued the 10 percent increase that is seen in intramurals year in and year out” said Coordinator or Intramural sports Daniel Fragel.

For Cox, club sports are a great way for students to still feel the intensity of competition while simultaneously meeting new people across the college campuses. Unlike intramurals where students play against each other, if a student is in a club sport,

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you join the Boise State team and travel and compete against other colleges.

“An individual can join anytime, and the

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An individual can join anytime, and the best way is to show up or contact a club president.

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- Jared Cox, Assistant Director of Recreational Sports best way is to show up or contact a club president,” Cox said. All information regarding practice time and sports offered can be found on Boise State’s student rec page.

Cox continued to say intramurals on

Students who join club sports can compete against teams from other schools. Photo by: Student Media Digital Content Humby

campus give students options regarding ways of staying active and takes the form of students playing against one another.

Sports that can be played are flag football, innertube water polo, spikeball, sand volleyball, and wheelchair basketball just

to name a few.

Cox hopes Boise State Recreation’s offering of many different sports shows their dedication to giving students diverse options on campus.

BUCKING AROUND

AUGUST 29, 2017

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